"small residential neighborhood with cheap rent, a suburban feel and not a lot of amenities or nightlife"

North Austin is a small residential neighborhood with cheap rent, a suburban feel and not a lot of amenities or nightlife. It’s not known for being 100% crime free—but Austin has a low crime rate overall to begin with—so it may not be of great concern to the average person. On the plus side, this nabe is just north of Brentwood and Crestview, two Austin neighborhoods with a great family vibe and plenty of wholesome kid-friendly spaces, activities, and restaurants.

North Austin is home to a couple of quirky institutions: Pinballz Arcade—a BYOB arcade where you will find tons of video and arcade games for nerds of all ages, and Painting With a Twist—a BYOB art studio where amateur artists come to take painting classes that allow them to walk away with a finished product the very same day.

Also located here, is Quail Creek Park a 16-acre neighborhood park with a playground, soccer field, volleyball court, and half a mile of hiking and biking trails. There is a beautiful stand of trees here, which give dense shade—a welcome thing in the height of Austin summers.

"Everything you could need, in one place"

The north edge of town has a lot going for it. The places to go and things to do up here are on par with most other desirable parts of town. However, traffic will frequently bring you to your knees, especially during the busier parts of the day.

Lots of great changes have come to North Austin over the past ten years or so, and easy travel from North Austin through to Round Rock without significant interruption is particularly beneficial for folks who work in the area. Trying to make it to downtown can be a little tricky, and if you need to be south of the river during rush hour you might have a real problem. There is, however, very little reason to leave the north side if you don't absolutely have to--almost everything that you need to find can be had here.

It's a little more spread out then other parts of the city, but having a car and knowing your way around will give you full access to pretty much anything you need. Higher costs of living are the norm up this way, but you get access to much newer construction, and in the better parts of theneighborhood, it’s generally clean, well-lit, and well-maintained, making it an appealing place to live for all types of people.

"Needs a better name"

The rather generic name for this Austin neighborhood is fitting in some ways, as there is not much that distinguishes this area. Located (where else?) in far north Austin, this rather large neighborhood is a mixed-race community with a higher proportion of rental properties than most other areas.

The North Austin neighborhood is bounded by Highway 183 to the south, Kramer Lane to the north, Metric Boulevard to the west and N. Lamar Boulevard to the east. Most of the properties were built in the 1970s, so this is an established neighborhood. The quality of the neighborhood is spotty, with some nice, newly remodeled homes in some areas while other areas contain rundown houses badly in need of repair. Safety is considered an issue here, as crime is higher in some parts of the neighborhood than places further south.

Despite the negatives, there are signs that this area is experiencing steady improvement. It is somewhat convenient to downtown, close to some major highways and thoroughfares, and there has been significant development to the north that will continue to increase the attractiveness of the far north neighborhoods in Austin. Housing prices remain in the modest range, starting in the mid-$100s and going up to the mid-$200s. Area schools include Woolridge and Barrington Elementary Schools, Burnet Middle School and Lanier High School. For those looking for affordability and are willing to live in a neighborhood in the midst of transition, North Austin is worth a look.

"Nothing Here to See"

Like many of the other neighborhoods that are directly north of 183, North Austin has little to offer in location, nightlife, and in general a social scenery or life. It also has little to offer in safety as Rundberg goes right through this neighborhood and it is notorious for having some of the highest crime activity in the metropolitan area. There are plenty of eating out options along N. Lamar, but aside from that, little exists to satisfy the appetite. There is little greenery to brag about even with one tiny public park and the streets are filled with concrete and a desolate, depressing vibe.

Of course due to these circumstances, rent and selling prices are cheap. Most residents are renters since over half of the housing in the area comes from low grade apartment complexes. In addition to some slight urban decay, residents have to deal with traffic congestion that is being fed from the rush hour on Hwy 183 and N. Lamar. A few of the eateries are family owned Mexican or Chinese restaurants, but most often you will only get you stomach filled with the food chain classics of Domino's Pizza and Burger King. With the money you're saving on rent, though, you can spend as much as you like on the fast food favorites.